Sustainche in the meantime is well known for his – let’s say – scepticism against banks and bankers. Banks and bankers are something like a different universe that Sustainche can’t enjoy. To enjoy is important for Sustainche :-) 

For Polar Bear Sustainche it is very natural to think about ‘Bad Banks’. In this respect he was surprised when during the public discussion about the ‘Global Financial Crisis’ ‘Bad Banks’ became a terminus technicus in the official banking world. “Comical human mammals”, Sustainche has a good laugh. Today accounts are virtually washed clean by allocating tremendous losses (or what is called ‘toxic assets’ … language is unmasking) in Bad Banks. In consequence and if there exist Bad Banks, it is only logic if there are also Good Banks.

Good Banks would be something that Sustainche likes. However, Good Banks need ‘Good Bankers’ … ? Sustainche undertook extensive efforts in finding good bankers. Mr. Josef Ackermann, the famous CEO of the famous German Bank, was dismissed first. With his research Sustainche, however, found another CEO of the German Bank who complied with his personal perception. It is Mr. Alfred Herrhausen. Alfred Herrhausen was assassinated on 30^th November 1989, a few weeks after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Sustainche already reported about this historic event. Although until today nobody could be personally named as to be suspect in murder of Mr. Herrhausen, third generation terrorists of the German Red Army Faction (RAF) are held accountable. 

Not only Sustainche wonders why the RAF should have murdered Mr. Herrhausen. Barely because he was the highest representative of a huge capitalistic institute … ? Sustainche found an interesting document. During the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund in Washington D.C. in 1987 and after intensive discussions with the Mexican President Miguel de Madrid, Alfred Herrhausen made his international bankers colleagues outraged by proposing a debt relief for developing countries. Mr. Herrhausen’s analysis was clear and easy enough so that also Sustainche can understand the central message: developing countries will never be able to pay back their credits, and in any case they would, it would even worsen the entire economical situation. Thus an agreed re-launch of the economy is more feasible. 

This example shows how much Mr. Herrhausen was ahead of the times and therefore his banker colleagues immediately declared his initiative as to be something like an ‘intellectual remark’ … nothing else. It was not ! Today many reasonable people around the globe realize as precisely as Alfred Herrhausen 22 years ago that the International Monetary Fund’s and World Bank’s policy is nothing to nominate for the Nobel Peace Prize awarded in Oslo. Being a refugee due to climate change, Sustainche would rather send these IMF and WB guys to be awarded in The Hague …  

Sustainche has no doubt that Mr. Herrhausen broke a taboo of the international banking world. He looked beyond the small plate of banking business and shareholder value, and felt the traditional banking responsibility for people and societies in large. Therefore he was murdered by left-wing radical RAF terrorists … ? Well, Sustainche is sure that in November 1989 there were many others who had a vivid interest that this ‘socialistic’ Alfred Herrhausen should leave this planet … . 

“We need to say what we think. We need to do what we say. We need to be what we do.” Alfred Herrhausen wrote. Sustainche is reminded on Mahatma Gandhi’s sentence: “Be the change you want to see in the world.” For Sustainche Mr. Herrhausen indeed is the best practise example of a Good Banker and he would be glad if today such a personality would exist to support Sustainable Development. 

Perhaps, German Universities should start educating economy students in the spirit of Alfred Herrhausen …

 MEMOIRS (Abridged) Includes articles and essays on various topics in SCIENCE, GEOGRAPHY, PHILOSOPHY, STATECRAFT etc. in addition to Travel notes.  Price Rs. 1oo, postage extra.  

                                                                                          By K.K.Subramanian

Waterfriend remembers his childhood

 Kunnathur Mana

My mother was born in a very illustrious family Kunnathur Padinjaredath.You can see the ancestral house near the Peruvanam temple south gopuram (gate)

I have vague memories of sitting upstairs; looking at the road. I must be four at that time.

The family came there in search of livelihood and became the tantry (main priest-they still are) of the temple. I can imagine mother (kali was her name-a goddess) walking towards the temple, holding the hands of the maid servant, almost naked, with only a plantain leaf strip to cover nakedness, not knowing what fate awaited her…tears swell in my eyes, even as I write these lines

She was married off at the tender age of thirteen or so to Subrahmanian Nambudiripad, aged forty plus, already having two wives, one living and the next one and her son still fresh in memory, and a daughter of mother’s age whom her brother married the same day, probably. Mother was dark, uncouth and short; my step sister was fair, lean and very handsome whom mother hated heartily!

I do not remember any one caring for her,  except her younger sister and some cousins. Uncle (eldest) never talked to her or even to her children (in all six, two died early). She had a sharp tongue and was outspoken but had a heart of gold. She was very lazy and father was the laziest!

I digressed…

Around 150 years ago, mother’s ancestor was married to the sister of the king of erstwhile Cochin State who was known as Shaktan Thampuran. He bestowed on the Kunnathur family tax free land. The family became rich.

Maternal grandfather was very intelligent, so too was my uncle. At that time a rich local Nambudiri of Chittoor mana established a school, where we all studied, and uncle was the first student, duly initiated before a lighted lamp etc. Of course the student was without a shirt! I had a few classmates, topless, in primary school. Grandmother was wise, cultured and well versed in puranas (old legends of Hindu religion).When she got angry and shouted like a lioness, her husband shivered like a mouse! She did like my mother, always told me to look after her well but did nothing when she needed assistance. In fact no one accompanied her when she left the house built by father, and we were travelling in a country boat, through the swollen river. Being a fool, I enjoyed the trip!…

Earliest memories centre around a small village Thalore, near Trichur. I was about four. Mother had given birth to a dead baby and so she continued to feed me. I just came in from the spacious orchard where I was playing, lay down in my mother’s lap and started sucking her big breast. (In those days our women folk did not wear blouse.) “Ma, who put sugar in your milk?” -I asked. She just pushed me off and that was the end breast feeding !

I had a playmate Bhagi about eight years or so . She was attached to our maid servant Madhavi. I always thought she was her daughter.

 One day the girl was mopping the kitchen floor. I said something .She didn’t listen and I gave a blow on her back with an iron ladle. The poor girl cried out aloud inviting the attention of mother and paternal grand mother I felt guilty and wretched. Perhaps that was the only time I used violence against any living creature…..

With just a piece of cloth tied like lady’s bikini, I used to accompany Madhavi to the grocery shop owned by a Tamil Brahmin .He would give a piece of jaggery. We never got chocolates in those days.

Father and mother slept in the upstairs bed room. I slept with them. Mother used to tell stories. Elder brother used to sleep with grandmother. He was her favourite. Paternal uncle Krishnaphan was an occasional visitor. We loved him, as he was a good storyteller. About Lilliputs we heard from him. He was dark and fat unlike another p. uncle Vasudevaphan who was slim and fair, the first person to go to school from K.K. family. He was teacher and a close friend of E.M.S. Namboodiripad.

One day an old lady came, covered up to the neck in pure white dhoti (in north India only a widow will dress in white) Do you know her? –they asked. When I blinked, they all laughed . I felt ashamed. It was mother’s ma. As a girl, she was born and brought up in the same house where we were staying temporarily-the great Veembur Kadalayil Mana (which was lying vacant at the time. Mahatma Gandhi visited the house in 1929). Father who was a good architect and astrologer was making our house near the river, about four miles away. One day brother and I accompanied him to see the construction work. My legs were paining like hell. I earned the reputation of having walked four miles when four years old.    

 At that time , another paternal uncle, Parameswaran by name, took me with him to fort Tripunithura where royal family members lived. By custom, only a nambudiri may marry a princess. And, in a nambudiri family only the eldest can marry; others may have legitimate relationship with women of other upper castes, the latter not entitled for a share of nambudiri property. They are not allowed to share meals with us.(My grandfather’s younger brother’s daughter was my schoolmate .I never knew about the blood relationship, though I somehow liked her. Of course I was too shy to talk to her! )

That is how uncle married a real princess and lived in Palace no.11. I was too small to notice the clean bed, the sumptuous food (at home we had it only on birthdays or during Onam) The great festival was going on at the Poornathrayeesha (Krishna) temple and there were any number of elephants (I wanted to become a mahout-I am never tired of watching these majestic animals)

An elephant was being fed. Uncle asked me-do you want to mount it . I shook my head. The mahout lifted me and handed over to his colleague sitting on the elephant. He placed me on its neck. I felt uncomfortable, its hair pricking my naked bottom and I being lifted up and down by the motion of its head while eating; still I enjoyed it .

One day we were taken to Akavoormana near river Periyar. We enjoyed playing in the shallow swift flowing water. I lay down in the water and was carried away some distance. Flapping my arms I managed to remain floating. Thus I learnt the rudiments of swimming. I do not know how to swim really. Like cattle only my head remains above water.

There were two young elephants there. As a baby Ramankutty used to roam about in the house and snatch things from the kitchen. Even now I like to have a baby elephant ….

Vasudevan uncle (the youngest among five brothers, father being the eldest) was working as teacher in Namboori Vidyalaya at Trichur. I would look with admiration  the fat books in his shelf. One day when I grow up I shall read them!

Savithri was born. I refused to see the baby. I wanted a brother. This dislike of girls remained for a long time to come.

When Vas uncle brought a wife I was too shy to meet her. Afterwards the words “cheriamme “automatically escaped from my mouth and all exclaimed “today it will rain” 

   Recently, during morning walk I reached the church and, turning right, easily located the arch, proclaiming entry towards the Shiv temple. I went through it and turned right. A little further, I had hardly turned left when I could easily spot the old gate as it was in 1937! It was something like a flashback in TV screen! The front yard was very small. (in my mind it was very big.)The main building was intact, though concretised. I saw mother’s bedroom upstairs where I slept. Through the left side I traced a few steps and saw the workplace where women husked rice .It was locked. I could easily see the rope swing and Bhagi and I playing there. The reddish brown cow must be somewhere nearby. Bhagi showed me how to pick silky smooth, egg shaped thing (she called it pattunni) from the cow’s skin. She would place it on a stone and crush it with another stone spilling blood. Ma must be in the kitchen. The great surprise was when I turned to the east courtyard and looked to the flight of steps leading to the orchard. I was expecting at least thirty steps. I could count hardly four! To the child everything appears on a mega screen. To the grown up, it is all on TV screen. The surroundings had been cut into plots and sold. There are flats now. But the main structure is unoccupied till now.

Originally, it belonged to Moothedath Kadalayil which was merged with Veembur Kadalayil. On shifting to Pazhai, the house was sold to Akavoor Mana, my paternal grand mother’s maiden house (illam). We were just living there. The Akavoor namboodiri even suggested,” sister, why don’t you live here, why build a new house?” But father wanted to be near our village. 

Long Live the King of Pop. So say the fans and so do the marketers.

Michael Jackson died at the age of 50 under suspect conditions which caused a lot of stir in the global media. Last week, his glove sold for USD 350,000 at an auction where many more of his memorabilia found new buyers. This frenzy of cashing in on dead celebrities is not new however the magnitude of their fan following after their demise has grown and so has the marketing of their death. The Grim Reaper has now become the Marketer of the Decade.

Recently Mont Blanc released a Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Pen, to pay tribute to one of the most prominent personalities of our time. However, they priced this pen at a staggering price of USD 25,000. This is in stark contrast of the simplistic brand image of Gandhi who would drape himself in self woven cloth and would lead a modest lifestyle. Interestingly Gandhi also died under abnormal circumstances where he was assassinated in public.

Heath Ledger died at an early age of 28 due to a toxic combination of prescription drugs. The fan frenzy for his movie ‘The Dark Knight’ elevated the movie to more than USD 500 Million in the U.S. alone and won Heath an Oscar for his performance. Time will tell how marketers will look to exploit this young stars death.

Brand Equity of these celebrities has increased over time due to their untimely and unconventional deaths. What is really sad is the fact that some marketers are using these great personalities as mere marketing mediums and are looking at cashing in on their demise. That is why we see brand image mismatch as seen in the Gandhi – Mont Blanc case.

As new age marketers, it is our responsibility to draw the line where human tragedy and marketing are kept in their respective silos. Like one of the great quotes from a Spiderman movie goes, “With great power comes great responsibility”.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

‘Shameful Flight’ relates the history of the final years of the British Raj in India, including the partition of India into both Pakistan (West and East) and India, and the early hostility of the two new nations destined for perpetual warfare in such regions as the Kashmir.The history of this era of political instability on the subcontinent includes all the main players from Great Britain, India and Pakistan.These main players include Winston Churchill, Viceroy Louis Mountbatten, Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Nehru and Quaid-i-Azam Jinnah. There is not a single figure in this history of India’s partition who comes out of it in a good light, though several seem to have had very well-intentioned aims and motivations. It is the true story of lost opportunity and the devastating consequences of human pride and selfishness that have reverberated down through the decades to the present day and remain visible in the continuing clashes between India and Pakistan, as well as in the extremism expressed in both the Islamic and Hindu communities throughout the sub-continent. It is a story of perpetual tragedy and human suffering with no end in sight.

This book is extremely easy to read, passes on a wealth of historical information and whets the appetite for further research on the India/Pakistan situation. It provides enlightenment, by bringing understanding to the current political instability in both India and Pakistan, by clearly revealing the root of the problem – the manner of the birth of both nations out of British imperialism and that nation’s final haphazard departure aptly described as a ‘Shameful Flight.’ This is a great book for understanding the sub-continent and the wounds it still carries to this day.

This book was provided to me for review by Oxford University Press – www.oup.com

Quit the quitting habit

Overcoming obstacles of poverty and sadness with dogged persistence

Never enough to eat and doing odd jobs at a young age

But a lot of stubborn to persist till the end to make things happen

That’s why he is so well known today as Charlie Chaplin!

The iron hand of his conquerors pushed him to the limit

His people sometimes thought of his approach as obsolete

Little did it tell about him from his appearance when people saw him

But he didn’t retreat and that’s why he is known as Mahatma Gandhi today!

His associates told that he didn’t have the face or grace to make it

And the initial career graph showed a downward curve for others to mock at

When the odds were against him, he worked hard toward his ideal

That is the reason he is known today as Arnold Schwarzenegger!

Just a small garage as his office to work with and nothing else

But had great ideas boiling between his ears and the desire to execute them

No education, but determined and undertook great entrepreneurial ventures

That is why he is today popularly known as Steve jobs!

Experiencing educational difficulties because of her alcoholic dad

And shook off the gender criticisms and doubts by others on her ability

And conquering the air with her sheer guts and stick-to-itiveness

That’s why she is known as today as Amelia Earhart!

Schooling was the remotest thing to approach for this child

For he had little or no schooling and a “Hopeless” for many

Nature was harsh on him; stole his hearing faculty

But never could his “will to win”, for today he is well known as Thomas Alva Edison!

“what’s in store for me in my life?”, this person had been wondering

Until one day God showered His blessings on this child more than ever

That little soul relinquished the “Quitter” cloak and resolved to be courageous

after that wonderful soul stumbled upon a few lines of truth written for it;

Behold! And record your name here:— —–, for it is you who are to be the great among people!!

Wish you all the riches to come with God’s blessings

Peter Anand

When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it… always.

(Mahatma Gandhi)

Ziua Internaţională pentru Eliminarea Violenţei împotriva Femeilor. Da, şi? Pasă cui ar trebui?

Astăzi este Ziua Internaţională pentru Eliminarea Violenţei împotriva Femeilor.

În România multe femei sunt bătute, violate sau abuzate psihic, dar numai 16% dintre ele au curaj să reclame la poliţie.

http://www.realitatea.net/

Europarlamentarul român, Corina Creţu:

Pentru eliminarea violentei impotriva femeilor

Măcar de n-ar mai fi… de s-ar opri…

Când agresorul este adăpostit de hidoasa umbrelă a PD-L, parte a cohortei de nemoşaguri a unui ramolit cu pretenţii de Crai, chiar dacă ai curajul şi reclami violenţa, hărţuirea la locul de muncă, chiar dacă Poliţia-şi face datoria şi-l amendează pe * vajnicul * nemernic, chiar dacă NU e normal ca instituţia să-l tăinuie şi să-i muşamalizeze repetat ticăloşiile bastardului, victima e repede măturată prin mijloace şi scenarii diabolice, şi-atunci, nu poţi  să nu te-ntrebi, tu OM: oare fetele, nepoatele Tartorilor ar putea suporta suferinţele, durerile, tristeţile prin care-au trecut Sibilla ŞI nişte copile nevinovate ? Până când, Doamne… ?

Şi cum am putea noi, victimele nemernicului să spunem * iartă-i, Doamne că nu ştiu ce fac *… când ei, toată armata de şobolani au ştiut tot timpul exact ce fac…  De asta muşamalizarea şi pitirea mizeriilor sub preş, legea tăcerii a acelui * nimic nu răsuflă-n afara sistemului * reprezintă punctul pe i şi degetul pe rană, pentru că,  fenomenul NU e stopat şi există mereu riscul de-a se mai întâmpla! În Twin Peakse-ul  cărăşean, victimele sunt etichetate * nebune *, agresorii sunt ţinuţi în braţe, cui pasă… Hărţuirea morală la locul de muncă, ameninţările, împroşcatul cu invective şi folosirea limbajului obscen, vulgarităţie apostrofărilor la adresa femeilor, fetelor, abuzurile de influenţă, funcţie, putere, hărţuirea psihică, bătăile, etc. sunt ridicate la rang de * merite deosebite * şi-au binecuvântarea cui ar fi putut să reaşeze lucrurile pe făgaşul normalităţii, dar… n-a fost prost cine-a spus că * peştele de la cap se împute *, d-aia duhoarea persistentă de sub nădragii muherilor în izmene, * moralii *, * modelele *, însemnaţii…

Politica socială de*  succesuri *: NU protecţia copilului, ci protejarea imaginii instituţiilor, NU interes superior al copilului, ci interesele personale ale * divelor * şi * prinţişorilor * din dotarea * Împărăţiei *, NU prevenire, măsuri, soluţii, NU stoparea comportamentelor indecente, deviante şi-ndepărtarea cauzelor/agresorilor, ci pitirea mizeriilor sub preş, NU acceptarea tristei realităţi şi conduită ca atare, NU înfruntarea realităţii-adevărului dovezilor, ci, prigonirea şi hărţuirea victimelor, pentru că au avut şi au curajul de-aşi purta cu DEMNITATE durerile. Ticăloşii,  uniţi prin ticăloşiile la care se dedau, habar NU au ce este Moralitatea, Demnitatea, Cinstea, Respectul, jalnicii, caractere josnice, se-mbată cu falsa impresie c-ar fi nemuritori.

Victimele ca noi, mai sperăm încă în… JUSTIŢIA DIVINĂ, că-n rest… cui pasă… ?

http://sfinx777.wordpress.com/2009/10/07/protectia-copilului-dincolo-de-ziduri/

http://sfinx777.wordpress.com/2009/09/25/licitatii-comisioane-contestatii-caras-severin-twin-peakse/

http://sfinx777.wordpress.com/2009/07/22/nu-abuzului-sexual-fata-de-minori-sa-denuntam-brutele/

*******

* Conduita morală nu înseamnă pur şi simplu exigenţa de a renunţa anume la plăcerile vieţii, ci mai degrabă interesul plin de solicitudine pe care-l depune cineva ca să făurească o soartă mai bună pentru toţi oamenii. *   ( Albert Einstein )

* Adevărata moralitate nu constă în a urma cărarea bătătorită, ci în a descoperi adevărata cale pentru noi înşine şi a o urma fără teamă. *   ( Mahatma Gandhi )

* Moralitatea nu este propriu-zis doctrina prin care ne putem face fericiţi, ci prin care ne putem face vrednici de fericire. *   ( Immanuel Kant )

Sibilla

citate preluate de pe www.citapedia.ro

imagine preluată de pe google.ro – www.static,panoramio

Tibetan Resistance fighters pose with weapons following CIA arms drop.

In December 1989 the Fourteenth Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Having been awarded to terrorists and war makers before, the Nobel Peace Prize is no stranger to controversy – even Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin are among previous nominees for the prize! In his presentation speech to the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Egil Aarvik said:

‘This year’s Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded … first and foremost for his consistent resistance to the use of violence in his people’s struggle to regain their liberty. …

This is by no means the first community of exiles in the world, but it is assuredly the first and only one that has not set up any militant liberation movement.’

Was he unaware that the Dalai Lama had spoken since 1961 of the Tibetan guerrillas that were waging war on the People’s Liberation Army? Had he not read any of the accounts of the Tibetan guerilla war that were in wide circulation, such as Jamyang Norbu’s Warriors of Tibet – a book commissioned by the Tibetan government in exile itself?

Given that Tibetan ‘non-violence’ is merely a facade, why was the Dalai Lama awarded the prize? Tom Grunfeld says:

‘Everything having to do with Tibet is subject to mythologizing. That the Dalai Lama was awared the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts on behalf of Tibetan independence is one of these myths.’

According to the New York Times, the prize was awarded to the Dalai Lama ‘largely because of the brutal suppression of the democracy movement in China and the international outrage that followed.’ A source close to the Norwegian Nobel Committee revealed:

‘the choice of the Dalai Lama, was an attempt both to influence events in China and to recognize the efforts of student leaders of the [Chinese] democracy movement, which was crushed by Chinese troops in June.’

In addition to criticizing the Chinese by implication, awarding the prize to the Dalai Lama was an explicit attempt by the committee to atone for what is widely considered to be its greatest embarrassment: failing to award Mahatma Gandhi the Nobel Peace Prize, despite his having been nominated five times! As Egil Aarvik said in the presentation speech:

‘The Dalai Lama likes to consider himself one of Gandhi’s successors. People have occasionally wondered why Gandhi himself was never awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and the present Nobel Committee can with impunity share this surprise, while regarding this year’s award of the prize as in part a tribute to the memory of Mahatma Gandhi.’

The Nobel Peace Prize is considered by some to be the easiest Nobel Prize to win because no actual achievement needs to be demonstrated. What the Dalai Lama has clearly achieved, though, is to deceive the world utterly as to his real nature and intentions. By awarding him the Peace Prize the Nobel Committee has helped him to continue to dupe the world.

If you thought Gandhian ideals were a lost cause, look no further than the Sena. They have not only held them in utmost regard, but are now fighting for it to remain alive.

We all know that the Shiv Sena attacked CNN-IBN channel offices — that’s old news. They beat up reporters and staff — big deal. But few people know that a Shiv Sainik too was beaten up in the fracas :

“We have demanded action against journalists, who beat our activists. A party worker was seriously injured and has been paralysed,” Sena group leader in Assembly, Subhash Desai, told reporters here.

I am sure the biased channels haven’t covered this news. Action must be taken against the journalists who have done this. Don’t people even remember what the old man taught us ?

If the Sainiks attack you, you don’t resist. If you do, they’ll beat you up till you don’t resist. So really if you see, they’re just converting us all to Gandhians.

And here we are, criticizing them.

*”The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don’t define them, or ever seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them.”*
Denis Watley

Setting goals is so critical to achieving and maintaining a successful life. Though some goals may, at times, seem unattainable, I believe that any ambition can be achieved with a set plan and drive to attain it. Sure, we all have had unrealistic goals and may even go chasing after them for a short while. I once had the dream of becoming a Broadway star belting out those high notes in Wicked’s “Defying Gravity” and one day becoming, as Mary Catherine Gallagher would say, “a SUPERSTAR!” But, in my heart I knew I never possessed enough talent or drive to make this dream a reality. However, I have set, reached, and surpassed many realistic dreams over my twenty-three years on this planet. As a nerdy student, I wanted to get the best grades possible in school. So, for many years I worked meticulously studying at night, asking for assistance from my teachers and peers when I needed it, and doing my schoolwork to the best of my ability. As a high school freshman, I wanted so badly to become a high school cheerleader, so I practiced for weeks before the first try-out attempting to have flawless Herkes and Russians and to perfect each cheer’s rhythm and hand motions. In college, I wanted to become a teacher so I spent four years at an institution mastering teaching pedagogy and preparing myself for the world of education. For each of these short-term goals, I crafted plans and constructed steps, much like the blueprints of a house, on how I would accomplish each goal. However, no strategy could have ever prepared me for the sweaty, giddy hormone-driven gossip factories that are my middle school students! But, I still love them anyway!

As discussed in my previous post, “Giving Thanks”, some people go their entire lives never finding something that they are truly passionate about. They get up each day with a chip on their shoulder, return to jobs they loath, lead lives they hate, and are never truly happy. They never set goals for themselves for fear of failure or because they are unsure as to what their purpose in life really is. They may have desires and hopes in life but never have enough drive or know how to go about making those dreams a reality. These people attend their nine-to-five jobs, do what is expected of them (never more and never less), and usually never pursue anything of great meaning to them. I could imagine leading a life without passion or purpose would be very unrewarding and unfulfilling. I never want to be a person who gets stuck in the day-to-day grind never reaching for something more. There is so much more to life than a steady paycheck and a mundane life full of fruitless routine.

I truly believe that if you want something bad enough and if you work with all of your heart and soul, never giving up, that you can make any distant dream you have an existing reality.

I am a firm believer in the notion that we create our own destiny. No one is going to make your dreams come true but Y-O-U. Too often people go about their daily lives waiting for the right time to make their dreams come true. They believe when they get that promotion at work, or when the kids are in high school, or when they have enough money that then they can start really living the lives they want to lead. These people go on to realize (as much of their life has already passed them by) that there is no perfect time when all the stars will align for them to begin following their real dreams and passions in life. The time is now. Life is too short to wait for a perfect time that will likely never come. Like Matthew McConaughey says, ‘Just Keep Livin’. If you do, I promise your life will feel so much more fulfilling.

I feel so fortunate to have found my true passions in life at such a young age. For as long as I can remember I have always had three life goals (as well as other smaller goals that I set on a more short-term level) and know that once I have these things and have accomplished my life goals that my life will be complete. One is already beginning to come true while the other three feel as far away as the Milky Way (and no, I am not talking about the chocolately-nougaty goodness wrapped inside the brown and green packaging). Though that would be a nice reward. Reach a goal, get chocolate! Dear God, please make mine peanut butter m&ms!

Life Goal 1- Become a Tenured Language Arts Teacher: Since I was seventeen years old (and maybe even earlier as I played teacher as a child during each summer vacation) I knew I wanted to become an English teacher and share my love of literature and learning with children. With the guidance of my main inspiration, my very own high school English teacher Mrs. Tutt, I embarked on the journey of becoming a teacher. I spent four years reading, researching, and studying teacher practices. I spent numerous hours in clinical placements observing and instructing in different classroom settings. I spent nine weeks in a student teaching placement taking the driver’s seat as a full-time teacher. I prepared my own lessons, taught my own classes, graded millions upon billions of assignments (or so it seems) and assimilated into the teaching world. All of this prepared me for my life as a future educator. I loved every minute of student teaching from teaching content, getting to know my students, and even to those dreaded parent phone calls. I knew within the first few weeks, that this was what I was meant to do in life. I have been blessed to be able to make my dream of becoming an educator a reality the past few years. After graduating from Minnesota State University, Mankato in the fall of 2008, I was immediately offered a teaching job at the high school in which I student taught. It was truly a dream come true. I’ve never been happier then the first day I stepped through Hopkins High School’s doors as a licensed educator. I love being a teacher and inspiring, helping, and being a part of my student’s lives. I look forward to going to work everyday, hearing “Hi, Ms. Topp” in the hallways, and teaching my students. I think all of this is so very important. Since we spend a significant amount of our adult lives working to support our needs and wants in life, I think having a job you love and look forward to going to is so essential. I couldn’t imagine going to a job I detest day-in and day-out. I feel so lucky to have found a career that gives me so much joy and fulfillment.

Though I have now found “My Place In This World”, my journey is just beginning. Being a relatively new and young teacher in this economy has already been very difficult. At the end of the last school year, I was let go from my teaching position due to budget cuts. I was devastated. I searched and searched for a new job that never came. I applied to hundreds of school and interviewed for very few positions. I began this school year as a substitute teacher. Thankfully, about two weeks into my substitute positions I was offered a job (or a series of jobs strung together to equal a full time job) back at Hopkins. It felt so good to be back at the school that I loved so much and never wanted to leave. I felt valued and appreciated as I spoke with other educators who recommended me for the positions being offered. I felt worthy. Through this experience I have expanded my first life goal. I began the 2009-2010 school year working with English Language Learners. Initially, the idea freaked me out! All of these children not only speak different languages but some of them know very little to no English… How would I ever reach or teach them? I wasn’t sure I was cut out to work with ELL students but I gave it a try. Any job is better than no job, right? Especially in my dream district! It was a lot easier than I anticipated and I now have found another passion in life. I want to return to school not only for my Master’s Degree but also to get a second licensure in ESL/ELL. I guess my goals associated with my career have and will continue to grow and change as I am exposed to more of the joys of teaching.  Now, after two years of teaching, my first life goal has become three-fold: a-become a tenured Language Arts teacher, b- obtain my ESL/ELL licensure, and c- go back to school to acquire my Master’s Degree in Education. Eventually, I want to get my Doctorate Degree, too, but that goal hasn’t come to the forefront of my mind just yet.

Life Goals 2/3- Become a Wife and Mother: My second and third life goals go hand-in-hand, quite literally through marriage. When I picture my future I have always seen myself as a mother waiting in the kitchen of my cute little house with the pink picket fence waiting for little Susie and Sammy to get home from school. We’d talk about their day as I make dinner waiting for the love of my life to return home from his day at the office. We’d eat dinner together as a family, end the night watching a movie, and live the fairy tale life. Okay, so maybe my dreams are really not that Stepford Wife-ish but you get the picture. I want to be the supportive, caring wife and loving mother. I want a family. Growing up, I always enjoyed babysitting and caring for the younger children in my neighborhood. I remember summer days scraping together money from my piggy bank or the bin of change in my parent’s closet so I could ride my bike up to the convenience store a few blocks from my home to buy kool-aid, mac and cheese, and candy for my sisters and other kids who happened to be at our house that day. Being the oldest child of three girls, I always felt like a second mother to my sisters growing up. I felt responsible for their happiness and well-being. In many ways, even though they are now grown women, I still do. Maybe that is one of the reasons I became a teacher. I like the thought of someone needing or depending on me- even if it is just for a grade, help with homework, or someone to talk to about the latest GLEE or Gossip Girl episode. I can’t wait to be married and have someone to come home to at the end of the day and start a family with. I look forward to the day when I say, “I do” in a beautiful white gown and commit myself to my husband. I know the feminists of the world may gasp at the thought of needing another person to feel fulfilled but I truly believe that through marriage a person becomes absolute. I know that one person is not able to make you fulfilled 100% of the time but through marriage you make a partnership to love and cherish one person for the rest of your life despite your or their shortcomings. What can be more fulfilling than that? Even if your hubby does leave the toilet seat up, watches sports all Sunday afternoon, and works until late evening most nights? I’d trade in singledom for a sports-watching workaholic any day of the week!

I also can’t wait to start a family. I have loved being an older sister (not only to my sisters but also to their friends). There is nothing better than holding a baby in your arms as they sleep, or when a kid looks up and smiles at you, or being told that a child that admires you loves you. I can imagine that these feelings would be even better if they were your own children. I can’t wait to play Barbies with my daughter or go to my son’s sporting events and cuddle up reading a fairy tale or some superhero book at the end of the night. I have the mom gene (no, I won’t be wearing “Mom Jeans” ick!) and I look forward to holding my own miracle in my arms someday. I’m not sure I have met the man I am going to marry yet (and if I have, I certainly don’t know it’s him), but I know God will lead us to each other when the time is right. In all honesty, I think I’ve always been ready for these two life goals and long for them more than the others. I may not be ready for children this year or the next but I know once I find my future husband that these life goals will be a perfect fit just like Cinderella’s glass slipper.

Life Goal 4- Change The World: I just recently realized my fourth, and final, life goal. I want to change the world. I know this seems like a grandiose idea and an utterly impossible notion but I think I can do it. I don’t mean that I am going to be the next Mother Teresa or Mahatma Gandhi, but who knows? All I do know is that I want to leave this world a better place simply by being in it. I don’t think this world, other people, or God owe me (or anyone else for that matter) anything. It is quite the opposite actually. I know some people feel a sense of entitlement or that the world owes them something if they have gone through some sort of hardship or their lives don’t work out the way they had initially planned. But, I don’t feel that way. I’ll be perfectly honest in saying that my life hasn’t always gone according to plan, but then again, whose has? If it were up to me I’d be married with children (no, NOT Al and Peg Bundy Style), a stay at home mom or famous, and would give back to the world as much as I can. I have none of these things- no husband, no child, no celebrity… but, I still have a desire to make this world a better place. After recently facing some major life issues, some that have haunted me since childhood, I began to wonder what I could do with all that life had thrown my way. How can I turn my suffering into something beautiful and possibly healing for someone else? What do I have to offer to the world? And how can I make a difference? I know by being a teacher I am crafting minds and changing hearts but I want to do more… I think the way I want to change the world is through some sort of public speech. I don’t know why, but lately I’ve been having dreams about this very thing. I would love to travel the country or world speaking to children and adults, Christians and non-believers, at schools and at churches about this very thing: YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD. I want to speak to others about shifting from a victim mentality to that of a survivor. I want to talk about overcoming adversity and hardships. I want to show people that it is perfectly okay to grieve, feel sorry for yourself, to be hurt and be angry when something horrible happens in your life but that there is so much healing in getting help and forgiving people who have wronged you. I guess, I just feel I have a lot to say. I don’t pretend to think my life or hardships are any more severe or drastic than others, I just think I have a story to tell and my hope is that I can help others by sharing it. So, even though I have no idea how to go about making this fourth goal or dream happen a huge part of my heart is pulling me in the direction of speaking out about such things and changing the world one student, person, youth group, school, or arena at a time.

I’m not the only one who can change the world. You can too… The world is your oyster; don’t be a clam! You can do and achieve anything you set out to do in life, if you just believe in yourself. You have the opportunity to make any dream a reality. So, set goals, plan, and shoot for the moon. Even if you miss you’ll land among the stars. We all falter but we all have the ability to get back up and succeed. So, as Ryan Shupe sings, “when you dream, dream big… as big as the ocean blue. ‘Cause when you dream it might come true. When you dream, dream big!”

Hyderabad, Nov 21 (IANS) Believe it or not – the authorities in Andhra Pradesh have issued a ration card in the name of Mahatma Gandhi along with his picture!

What is more shocking is that the card named Nathuram Godse, the killer of Mahatma Gandhi, as his father. Godse, however, has been misspelt as Godsay.

Chittoor district collector V. Seshadari has ordered a probe after the ration card, carrying a fictitious address, was detected during a verification drive in the district to wee out bogus cards.

The card was issued in Chuttagunta village of Ramachandrapuram mandal in Chittoor district. It carried the picture of Gandhi with the name of M.K. Gandhi Thatha (Thatha in Telugu means grandfather), age 65, father’s name Godsay, address 15-46541, Gandhi Street, Gandhi Road. The address was that of a fair price shop owner.

The white ration card issued to below poverty line families make them eligible to get rice at Rs.2 per kg and social security benefits like health insurance and housing.

The authorities had launched door-to-door verification campaign early this year when it was found that the number of ration cards issued in some districts exceeded the population. The number of bogus cards in the state is estimated to be 3.5 million.

TOI reports a hilarious piece of news:

Believe it or not – the authorities in Andhra Pradesh have issued a ration card in the name of Mahatma Gandhi along with his picture!

What is more shocking is that the card named Nathuram Godse, the killer of Mahatma Gandhi, as his father. Godse, however, has been misspelt as Godsay.

Chittoor district collector V. Seshadari has ordered a probe after the ration card, carrying a fictitious address, which was detected during a verification drive in the district to wee out bogus cards.

The card was issued in Chuttagunta village of Ramachandrapuram mandal in Chittoor district. It carried the picture of Gandhi with the name of M K Gandhi Thatha (Thatha in Telugu means grandfather), age 65, father’s name Godsay, address 15-46541, Gandhi Street, Gandhi Road. The address was that of a fair price shop owner.

It ceases to be funny when one sees this in the context of multiple ID fabrications associated with the Mumbai attacks of last year; for example, this item from last year:

A nodal officer of Airtel, Sunil Tiwari told the designated court Judge M L Tahaliyani that on the request of Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) Parambir Singh, the company diverted the calls on terrorists mobile phone on police landline phone on November 26 last year.

Mr Tiwari also said that Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) Parambir Singh had given two Airtel numbers and asked to divert all the calls on police landline number as terrorist were talking to their handler in Pakistan from Hotel Taj, Hotel Oberoi and Nariman House.

The Airtel SIM cards were purchased from Delhi and Kolkata on fake name and address. He submitted the office copy form, filled up by the card purchaser to the court.

Believe it or not — the authorities in Andhra Pradesh have issued a ration card in the name of Mahatma Gandhi along with his picture!

What is more shocking is that the card named Nathuram Godse, the killer of Mahatma Gandhi, as his father. Godse, however, has been misspelt as Godsay.

Chittoor district collector V. Seshadari has ordered a probe after the ration card, carrying a fictitious address, was detected during a verification drive in the district to wee out bogus cards.

The card was issued in Chuttagunta village of Ramachandrapuram mandal in Chittoor district. It carried the picture of Gandhi with the name of M.K. Gandhi Thatha (Thatha in Telugu means grandfather), age 65, father’s name Godsay, address 15-46541, Gandhi Street, Gandhi Road. The address was that of a fair price shop owner.

Mr. Seshadari has constituted a three-member committee to probe the matter and take action against the officers responsible.

Action is likely to be taken against those who were entrusted with the task of taking photographs of the person on whose name the card is issued and affix it on the card. The revenue officials also failed to check the name and address.

This is not the first incident of its kind. In the past, bogus cards in the name of politicians, film stars, sportspersons and even Hindu Gods were detected. However, this time the officials have taken a serious note of the incident as it involved the name and picture of the father of nation.

In June, a ration card issued to one Laxmi of Vizianagaram district with a photograph of tennis star Sania Mirza was detected.

The latest incident once again exposed the collusion between the officials and fair price shop dealers. The authorities have intensified verification as several dealers have managed to get dozens of ration cards in fictitious names.

The authorities had launched door-to-door verification campaign early this year when it was found that the number of ration cards issued in some districts exceeded the population. The number of bogus cards in the state is estimated to be 3.5 million.

Mahatma Gandhi "Alma Grande"

“No hay caminos para la paz, la paz es el camino”

“Sé el cambio que quieras ver en el mundo”

“En materia de conciencia la ley de la mayoría no cuenta”

“Es mejor permitir que nuestras vidas hablen por nosotros a que lo hagan las palabras”

“El que retiene algo que no necesita es igual a un ladron”

“La muerte no es más que un sueño y un olvido”

“Un cobarde es incapaz de mostrar amor, hacerlo esta reservado para los valientes”

“No se nos otorgara la libertad externa mas que en la medida exacta en que hayamos sabido, en un momento determinado, desarrollar nuestra libertad interna “

“Nadie puede hacer el bien en un espacio de su vida, mientras hace daño en otro. La vida es un todo invisible”

“No debemos perder la fé en la humanidad que es como un océano. Ella no se mancha porque algunas de sus gotas estén sucias”

“La voz interior me dice que siga combatiendo contra el mundo entero aunque me encuentre solo. Me dice que no tema a este mundo sino que avance llevando en mi nada mas que el temor a dios”

“Lo más atroz de las cosas malas de la gente mala es el silencio de la gente buena”

“La fuerza no proviene de la capacidad fisica sino de la voluntad indomable”

“Ojo por ojo y el mundo se quedara ciego”

“Nuestra recompensa se encuentra en el esfuerzo y no en el resultado. Un esfuerzo total es una victoria completa”

“La violencia es el miedo a los ideales de los demás”

“Puesto que yo soy imperfecto y necesito la tolerancia y la bondad de los demás, también he de tolerar los defectos del mundo hasta que pueda encontrar el secreto que me permita ponerles remedio”

“Casi todo lo que realice será insignificante, pero es muy importante que lo haga”

“Realmente soy un soñador práctico; mis sueños no son bagatelas en el aire. Lo que yo quiero es convertir mis sueños en realidad”

“No dejes que se muera el sol sin que hayan muerto tus rencores”

“Cuando todos te abandonan, Dios se queda contigo”

“No escuches a los amigos cuando el amigo interior dice: ¡Haz esto!”

“Un error no se convierte en verdad por el hecho de que todo el mundo crea en él”

“Lo que se obtiene con violencia, solamente se puede mantener con violencia”

“Dicen que soy héroe, yo débil, tímido, casi insignificante, si siendo como soy hice lo que hice, imagínense lo que pueden hacer todos ustedes juntos”

“El hombre no posee el poder de crear vida. No posee tampoco, por consiguiente, el derecho a destruirla”

“La tristeza de la separación y de la muerte es el más grande de los engaños”

Sejak ribuan tahun silam Goat’s Milk atau susu kambing sudah dikenal dalam tradisi pangan bangsa-bangsa di jazirah Arab. Misalnya dikisahkan pada zaman itu, bahwa susu kambing sering dikonsumsi oleh Nabi Muhammad SAW dengan sahabat-sahabatnya. Kemudian diceritakan pula, bahwa sejak ribuan tahun yang lalu bangsa Mesir sudah menggunakan susu kambing ini dalam ritual tradisi keagamaan mereka. Disusul dengan kisah tentang tokoh Mahatma Gandhi dari India, yang mengkonsumsi secara rutin 2 gelas susu kambing per hari untuk menjaga stamina dan kesehatan tubuhnya. Dari sejumlah kisah sejarah tsb. kita boleh bertanya-tanya dalam hati apa manfaat dan kelebihan susu kambing ini sehingga dapat menempuh rentang sejarah yang cukup panjang?! Sejalan dengan kemajuan zaman dan ilmu pengetahuan, diketahui bahwa susu kambing selain kaya kandungan zat-zat gizinya juga berkhasiat membantu penyembuhan berbagai penyakit.

Susu kambing dengan segala kandungan zat gizi-nya tidak menimbulkan efek samping yang negative atau merugikan bagi orang –orang yang mengkonsumsinya. Justru susu kambing mempunyai beberapa keunggulan dibandingkan dengan susu sapi, sehingga dapat dijadikan alternatif pengganti untuk orang-orang yang alergi terhadap susu sapi. Orang yang alergi susu sapi biasanya akan mengalami masalah-masalah kesehatan terutama masalah pencernaan segera setelah mengkonsumsi susu sapi, misalnya: kembung (Dyspepsia), sakit perut (Colic Abdomen), buang-buang air besar (Diarrhea), sampai kepada timbulnya bercak-bercak kemerahan pada kulit (Rash). Biasanya masalah-masalah pencernaan yang timbul setelah mengkonsumsi susu sapi disebabkan oleh 2 hal pokok. Pertama karena orang itu alergi terhadap kandungan protein-susu sapi, dan yang kedua karena orang itu alergi terhadap kandungan gula-susu.

Bila berbicara tentang protein-susu, ternyata jenis protein-susu utama dalam susu kambing sama dengan jenis protein-susu dalam ASI, yaitu dominan dengan Beta-Casein. Sedangkan susu sapi kaya dengan kandungan protein-susu Alpha S-1 Casein yang sering memicu timbulnya alergi bagi yang mengkonsumsinya. Protein susu kambing di dalam saluran pencernaan kita akan menciptakan suasana keasaman lambung dengan PH lebih tinggi (lebih bergeser ke arah basa) sehingga susu kambing aman dan dapat membantu proses penyembuhan pada penderita penyakit maag (Gastritis). Protein susu kambing bila bercampur dengan asam lambung dalam sistem pencernaan kita, akan menghasilkan persenyawaan susu yang lebih mudah untuk dicernakan dibandingkan dengan persenyawaan susu yang dihasilkan dari protein susu sapi. Dengan alasan ini susu kambing baik bila diberikan pada anak-anak yang sering mengalami muntah karena“ Gastroesophageal Reflux” (GER).

Susu kambing dan susu sapi keduanya mengandung gula-susu yang sama yang disebut dengan Lactosa. Tetapi kandungan Lactosa dalam susu kambing lebih rendah yaitu berkisar antara 4 – 4,1% dibandingkan dengan kadar Lactosa dalam susu sapi yang mencapai 4,7%. Kemungkinan hal inilah yang menyebabkan susu kambing

(artikel dari www.swaiklan.com )

This one’s just down Broadway a few blocks from the last one, towards downtown. It’s unsigned, and unfortunately a little tagged up, but looks like the work of the same artists who did yesterday’s post. I love it.

I’m going to type out some of the beautiful quotes in case people have difficulty reading them in the pics… also then the text is searchable.  Here’s the first:

Hatred ever kills…
Love never dies…
Such is the vast difference between the two
What is obtained by love
is retained for all Time…

What is obtained by hatred
proves a burden in reality
For it increases hatred.

The duty of a human being
is to diminish hatred…
and to promote Love

~ Mohandas K. Gandhi

I was surprised that the quotes were attributed to Mohandas K. Gandhi, rather than Mahatma Gandhi. In looking it up, I realized that Mahatma was just his nickname… a Sanskrit word meaning “Great Soul.” I tell ya, I learn something new every day doing this. It’s humbling and exhilarating at the same time.

“Joy lies in the fight, in the attempt, in the suffering involved, not in the victory itself.“   — Mahatma Gandhi

(Unusual choice of words for a pacifist, no?) —   YUR

Gandhiji once said, “There’s enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed”. The rapaciousness displayed by unprincipled businesses in sub prime lending and other financial concoctions have already resulted in an economic meltdown. Its brand new avatar to profit from helplessness of mankind is likely to be rewarded the same way. We can only hope they would realize their folly and amend ways.

An excellent report on global land grabs can be found here: Link

In the evening, I, Taraka and her daughter Gayatri left to see a dance programme at her sister’s daughter’s school. Though we couldn’t stay for long, we made sure that we were present for a few minutes to encourage the little kid and left for Birla Mandir.

After parking the car at a nearby place, we headed towards Birla Mandir. By this time I had come to know how chaotic the traffic in Hyderabad is. People had scant respect for the traffic rules and I was feeling like driving in some maddening crowd.

The steps leading to the temple and small shops along the steps were bustling with tourists. Shops were making brisk business and tourists were busy buying articles.

As it was weekend, the crowd was huge. We had to keep our phones and camera in the cloak room. We went to the temple and Taraka was excited to show the place where she and jeeju had solemnized their wedding

Birla Mandir on the Naubath Pahad is a magnificent Hindu temple of Lord Venkateshwara, built of 2,000 tonnes of pure Rajasthani white marble. The Birla Foundation has constructed several similar temples in India.

The Birla Mandir was built by Raja Baldev Birla. In 1938, the temple was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi. Everyone was not given the permission to enter the premises of temples. Gandhi placed the condition that he would inaugurate the temple only if people belonging to all strata of the society were permitted to offer their prayers in the temple.

The architecture of the temple is a blend of South Indian, Rajasthani and Utkala temple architectures.

The tower over the main shrine reaches a height of 165 ft, whereas the towers over the shrines of Venkateshwara’s consorts, Padmavati and Andal reach a height of 116 ft. The presiding deity is about 11 ft tall and a carved lotus forms the umbrella on the roof. The consorts of Lord Venkateswara, Padmavati and Andal are housed in separate shrines. There is a brass flagstaff in the temple premises which rises to a height of 42 ft.

The temple is built on a 280 feet high hillock called the Naubath Pahad in 13 acres. The construction took 10 years and was consecrated in 1976 by Swami Ranganathananda of Ramakrishna Mission. The temple does not have traditional bells, as Swamiji wished that the temple atmosphere should be conducive for meditation.

Though the chief deity is Lord Venkateshwara, the temple has pan-Hindu character with deities of Shiva, Shakti, Ganesh, Hanuman, Brahma, Saraswati, Lakshmi and Saibaba. Selected teachings of holy men and Gurbani are engraved on temple walls.

There is also a shrine dedicated to Lord Buddha. Beautiful Fresco paintings, throwing light on the life and works of Buddha, adorn the walls of this temple. At the rear end of the temple, there is an artificial landscape with mountains and waterfalls.

The intricate carvings of the temple, the ceiling and the mythological figures are standing testimony to the dexterity and sculptural excellence of the craftsmen. Beautiful scenes from the great epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata are finely sculpted in marble. A number of lofty steps lead the visitor to the sanctum sanctorum. Along the winding path are many marble statues of gods and goddesses of Hindu mythology located in the midst of gardens.

The view from the highest level of the temple offers the viewer a spectacular view of the Hussain Sagar Lake, Andhra Pradesh Secretariat, Assembly and Birla Planetarium, the Public Gardens and Lumbini Park.

The temple is open between 7 am and 12 noon and between 3 pm and 9 pm.

We sat for a while there and discussed several issues before we left the place. By the time we reached the house, I had gone half mad, thanks to the traffic. Driving in Bangalore is not difficult, but elsewhere it is, for we are more disciplined and follow traffic rules at any cost. But in Hyderabad, it is the vice versa. People look at us strangely if we talk about traffic rules and discipline!